JUDGE'S ABSENCE STALLED NNAMDI KANU'S TRIAL

The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, suffered a setback, on Tuesday, due to the absence of the Magistrate, Shuaibu Usman, of the Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja.
Kanu is standing trial on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the case, which had earlier been fixed for ruling, did not hold due to the absence of the magistrate in court.
No reason was given by the court on why the magistrate did not sit.
Speaking to newsmen at the court premises, the Kanu's lawyer, Mr Vincent Obetta, said all efforts to reach the magistrate on phone were not successful.
Obetta appealed to the prosecution, the Department of State Service (DSS), to obey the subsisting order of the court to transfer his client to prison custody to enable him have access to him.